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United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry

July 29, 2014 10:59 ET

The UA Unveils New Pipeline Training Program With Help from TransCanada

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 29, 2014) - Today, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA), in collaboration with TransCanada Corporation (TransCanada), proudly launched a new pipeline training program across Canada.

This new national program will enable welders, pipefitters and apprentices to continue to obtain the advanced training and upgrading in pipe welding and cutting they require to work in the pipeline construction industry. The UA, which has provided the very best training to various industries for more than 100 years, is working with TransCanada and the company's Energy East Pipeline Project to provide sections of large-diameter steel pipe for welding training. The pipe is donated to UA locations in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Thunder Bay, Sarnia, Montreal, Miramichi and Dartmouth.

"The considerable amount of pipe that TransCanada is offering our training schools across the country will allow our journeymen and apprentices to cut and weld pipe as if they were working in the field," said John Telford, Director of Canadian Affairs for the UA at the event held at UA Local 46. "This donation also allows the UA to redirect a large portion of its training monies towards increasing the number of instructors to train a new generation of outstanding pipeline welders, journeymen and apprentices," Telford added.

This collaboration provides a unique opportunity for skilled welders, journeymen and apprentices to acquire hands-on pipeline training and experience in order to perform to the high-quality standards expected by the UA, Canadian pipeline regulatory bodies and pipeline companies such as TransCanada. Highly-skilled welders will be a key part of important pipeline projects such as Energy East, and the UA has a significant role in preparing future generations for important job opportunities as pipeline professionals with expertise in their field.

"TransCanada is committed to supporting the development of training programs that address the significant workforce needs of the pipeline industry," said Bob Eadie, Energy East Pipeline Project Director, TransCanada. "We are very excited to work with the UA on training programs, and look forward to developing further relationships that build up the number of welders whose skills and techniques go above and beyond industry standards."

TransCanada is donating 24 sections of 42"-diameter heavy-wall steel pipe to eight UA locations in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, which will be used for cutting and welding practice by hundreds of apprentices who have been accepted into the UA's training and upgrading programs. The Energy East Pipeline will transport 1.1 million barrels of oil per day from Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries and port terminals in Quebec and New Brunswick. The $12-billion project involves the conversion of a portion of 3,000 km of the Canadian Mainline to oil transportation and the construction of 1,600 km of new pipeline. It will create more than 10,000 jobs during its development and construction, and generate billions of dollars in spin-off jobs and tax revenues for communities along the pipeline's route.

About the U.A.

The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada or "UA" as it is commonly known is a multi-craft union whose members are engaged in the fabrication, installation and servicing of piping systems. There are approximately 326,000 highly-skilled United Association members who belong to over 300 individual local unions across North America. Founded in 1889, the United Association is one of the most respected and influential building trades unions in the U.S. and Canada today. It serves as a collective voice for workers through negotiation and collective bargaining with employing contractor groups, such as the Mechanical Contractors Association of America, and the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors. The United Association has been training qualified pipe tradesmen longer than anyone else in the industry. The UA boasts the premier training programs available in the industry today, including five-year apprenticeship programs, extensive journeyman training organized instructor training, and certification programs.

About TransCanada

With more than 60 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and oil pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 68,500 kilometres (42,500 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's largest providers of gas storage and related services with more than 400 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A growing independent power producer, TransCanada owns or has interests in over 11,800 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is developing one of North America's largest oil delivery systems. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. For more information visit: www.transcanada.com or check us out on Twitter @TransCanada or http://blog.transcanada.com.